Un grupo de estudiantes internacionales de CUNEF Universidad.

Doctoral Programme in Economics and Finance

The PhD Programme in Economics and Finance is aligned with the institution’s research strategy, as a recognised institution in the fields of Finance, Business and Law

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General information

The objective of the Doctoral Programme in Economics and Finance is to offer advanced specialisation in Economics, Finance, Law and Business to students wishing to pursue an academic or professional career in institutions that require advanced skills in the financial, economic or statistical fields, such as central banks, research departments of public and private entities or other organisations. The programme seeks to advance the frontier of economic, business and social knowledge, as well as to contribute to the analysis of the most relevant economic problems. To this end, it provides the tools needed to carry out frontier research enabling the formulation of economic alternatives and policies geared towards economic development. All of this is reflected in four research lines:

Economics
Finance
Business
Law

The Doctoral Programme in Economics and Finance offers:

A faculty with international research experience and recognition.
An international environment, which enables the programme to attract international students.
An attractive set of research lines linked to the frontier of knowledge in different areas.
An intellectually active and stimulating atmosphere that emphasises critical thinking, cooperation and joint research, fostering international research exchanges with leading universities and research institutions and cooperative research programmes.

Further information about this doctoral programme can be requested by writing to doctoralprogrammes@cunef.edu

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Access and admission

The maximum number of new students admitted per academic year in this doctoral programme is 5, and the language of instruction is English.

The admission process for a doctoral programme is carried out by the Academic Committee, which determines at that time any additional training requirements the student must complete in order to enter the programme.

Access requirements:

As a general rule, admission to a doctoral programme at CUNEF Universidad requires holding a bachelor's degree or equivalent and a research-oriented official Master's degree.

In order to be admitted to a doctoral programme, candidates must submit a dossier containing the following information:

An up-to-date curriculum vitae.
A brief statement (no more than five pages) setting out the motivations for undertaking the doctoral programme.
A maximum of two letters of recommendation from their academic and professional environment may optionally be submitted.
Academic documentation certifying that the candidate meets the requirements for admission to a doctoral programme, in accordance with Royal Decree 99/2011.
Proof of a C1 level (or equivalent) of English under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Admission criteria:

The admission criteria and their respective weightings are:

Academic record (up to 50%): average of the grades obtained in the bachelor's and master's courses.
Suitability of the master's degree completed (up to 50%): alignment of the master's degree completed with the objectives and research lines of the programme.
Personal interview, where necessary: up to a maximum of 10%.

Admission to this doctoral programme must be requested by completing the form available here before September 30, 2026.

Pre-doctoral contracts

For the 26/27 academic year, CUNEF Universidad is opening a call for four pre-doctoral contracts. Pre-doctoral contracts have a maximum duration of 4 years and are awarded and renewed each academic year in accordance with the requirements established in CUNEF Universidad's general scholarship programme, on the basis of academic excellence criteria.

The criteria for awarding the pre-doctoral contracts are:

Academic record (up to 50%): average of the grades obtained in the bachelor's and master's courses.
Suitability of the master's degree completed (up to 50%): alignment of the master's degree completed with the objectives and research lines of the programme.
Personal interview, where necessary: up to a maximum of 10%.

Those interested must apply at the same time as applying for admission to one of CUNEF Universidad's doctoral programmes.

Monitoring

Each student admitted to this doctoral programme is assigned, upon admission, a tutor and a thesis supervisor, who is responsible for designing their work plan and assessing their progress.

The Academic Committee assesses the documentation submitted by doctoral candidates on an annual basis. Based on this assessment, the Academic Committee decides whether the candidate's progress is satisfactory or whether changes are required to the research plan or to their training strategy. The outcome of this assessment is communicated to the doctoral candidate in order to guide their next steps and ensure the success of their doctoral project.

Before the end of the first year, counted from the date of enrolment, the doctoral candidate, with the assistance of their PhD Advisor and tutor, must prepare a document including a research plan and a personal training plan. The research plan must include at least the methodology to be used and the objectives to be achieved, as well as the means and the timetable for achieving them. The doctoral candidate's personal training plan must include a forecast of the various training activities to be carried out during the doctoral thesis (courses, delivery of seminars, mobility activities, etc.). This document may be improved and set out in greater detail throughout the candidate's time in the programme and must be endorsed by the PhD Advisor and by the tutor.

Each year, as part of the monitoring procedure, the doctoral candidate must submit a detailed report on their progress to the Academic Committee. This report includes an update on the progress of their research and a Doctoral Candidate Activities Document, reflecting the fulfilment of the objectives set out in their research plan and personal training plan.

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Job market

The Job Market in Economics and Finance facilitates connections between CUNEF Universidad’s young researchers who are in the final stages of their doctoral studies and universities, research centres, institutions and other organisations interested in recruiting highly qualified candidates.